Testing device for sprinkler systems



Aug. 30, 1932. H. F, GEWALT TESTING DEVICE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed June 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet fi JWN Qu n 5 0/ A 4 Aug. 30, 1932. H. F. GEWALT 1,875,233 7 TESTING DEVICE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed June 6. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Her/725725 EEWE/ZZ 6/ Patented Aug. 30, 1932 umrsn' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN r.

GEWALT, or MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, AssiGNon or ONE-HALF 'ro WILFRED J. THUERMANN, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN c'rn's'rms DEVICE ron srRINKLEn SYSTEMS This invention appertains to fire-extinguishersand more particularly to automatic fire-extinguishers of the type embodying a plurality of automatic sprinkler' heads lo- 8 cated at spaced points in a water distribut ng system and in close proximity to the ceiling of a building. .It vhas been found that in such automatic lire-extinguisher systems," after the same have if; beeninstall-ed for a period of time, that the sprinkler headsare liable to become clogged with sediment, thereby rendering the sprinkler heads inoperative. This makes it necessary to test the sprinkler heads at different 13 stated periods oftime, which heretofore has been'a diflicult and troublesome job. It is, therefore, one of the primary ob ects of my invention to provide novel means for independently testing each ofthe sprinkler 529 heads in close 'proximityto the water outlet passage of said heads without the necessity of turning off the water supply and without any danger of wetting or flooding the terri t'ory adjacentto the sprinkler head being tested." I

Another salient object of my invention is the provision 'of novel means incorporated in the sprinkler head for permitting the testing of each sprinkler head to see if there is a free flow of water in each head, said means embodying a detachable operating handle through which the water from the sprinkler head being tested can flow.

further object of the invention is the provision of a novel valve incorporated directly inf'eachsprinkl er head, or. adjacent to each sprinkler head, including a hollow valve stem with a novel elongated operatinghandle for detachable connection with each hollow valve stem for operatingthe valve and for receiving the water from the valve'stem, the water draining from the hollow handle being caught in a suitable bucket or other recep- $3.016. v a

' A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means carried by the hollow handle for operating the sprinkler carried valve'and for engaging the hollow stem ,50 valve a water-tight manner, so that leak- Application filed lfune 6, 1931;

Serial No. 542,490.

age of water during the testing operation will beel-iminated. p a

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel means for testing automatic sprinkler heads of a fire-extinguishing system of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be incorporated with a conventionalfire-extinguishing system at a low cost. 6Q

With these and other objects inview, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as, will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed-and illustrated in the accompanying e5 drawings, inrwhich, I V ,Figure l is afragmentary side elevation of a water sprinkler head having my improved testing device incorporated therewith, the removable operating handle for the test- 7,0 ing valve being shown connecte'd with the valve and the valve head inits partially opened position, the sprinkler head being particularly designed for receiving my in- 'vention; a V Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in-the direction of the arrows, illustrating the'me'ans' carried by the removablehandle for engaging and operating the valve;

, Figure 3 is a detailed horizontal section through the valve taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, illustrating the novel formation of the ,valve;, r a

Figure 4: is a fragmentary side elevation of a fire extinguishing head, showing my improved testing device incorporated therewith, thevie'w illustratingthe use of a fitting for permitting the use of conventional types of sprinkler heads now on the market, the operating handle being shown removed;

Figure 5 is a similar view, illustrating the use of a T-fittin'g for the conventional type of sprinkler head at the end of a sprinkler line.

Referringto the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the latter A generallyindicates a sprinkler head constructed in accordance which in the present instance'is-shown to be of an .L-shapeddesign having a depending vertical. portion 16. Arranged within the can be tested in close proximityto said out- 7 let water passage.

In accordance with my-invention',-I connect with the boss-13, a valve casing 15,

bore of. the valve casing'15 in the vertical portion lo-thereof, is provided' an" annular valveseat 17 Threaded into the lower end ofthe vertical portion 160i? theva-lve casing, is a hollow valve stem 18 carrying on its inner end the valvehead 19 for normally fitting uponthe seat 17. Inward of the valve head '19, the hollow stem 18 'is 'provided'with a diametrically extending =passageway2O for V communicating with theinterior'of the valve casing15. V a a In order to provideijau water tight joint around the hollow valve'stem18, I provide any preferred V placeby a threaded cap or bonnet 22. l

Attached to the? ollow ,valve' stem below 'the'fvalve casing 15 isjan operating whe l 23,.WhichI-haveshown embodies ahub; 24:

' and a plurality 4 This 'wheel23fcan be formed on 01', secured 'tothehollow valve stemin' any preferred of ri eof'radially extending arms.

way,.;such,,as by. a set screw 26.

"As stated, undernormal working 'ccndi-' ,tion's, the valve. head is threaded into contact withjthe valve seat,17,jso that flow of water through the hollow valve stem is prevented;

, ,Inconjunction-Withthe valve," I provide np lrdet ehable means for operating the same end for receiving and of water from'the valve. This mean I bodies an elongated hollowoperating-handle 30 :Which can, be in ithe naturefcof a length The extreme upper, end of the hol- 7 low operating handle hasthreaded thereon 9. Otherwise secured theretoa rubber'orother flexiblejnipple- 31, which is adapted to. be forced jover'the' extreme lower 1 endfof as 1 hollow valve stem 18 for receivingiwater therefrom When the iva'lve' head i is moved off fof its seat. a

valvastemso astoassure a jSecu'redto. the handle so belowthenipple 1: 317 is a substantially U-shapedoperating- '1 preferably fi'are the receiving end of the nipple 31' and :taperthe outer ,iaceof the snug water-tight connectionbetween these parts.

forkT32; As shown, this 'forkembodies: a

12 thereof, a lateral been tested. In

yoke 32', engaging the arms 25 of type o'fj packing 21 held hub 33 fitted on the handle and upstanding spaced parallel arms 34:,which extend beyond the upper end ment with the arms 25 on the operating of the ni ple for engage- {When it is desired to testa sprinkler systern, the operator takes hold 0 the handle 30 and goes from one sprinkler head to the other until all of thesprinkler heads have v testing'a'sprinklerhead, the handle 30 is forced upwardly so as to seat the nipple 31 on the lowerend of the 1101- low valve stem '18 with the arms 34 of the the operating wheel 23. The handle 30 is turned so asto-feedthe valve head 19 from oii of its seat '17,'as shown in Figure 1 of th e di'aw I ings. If the sprinkler head is in good work v 1 ing condition,inaccordance to the flowof 3 water,the' water will flow from th'esprinklerheadinto the valvecasing 15, past the valve;

seat 17, through the passagewayg20 into the hollow valve stemc18 and thence into the Pipe or hollow handle 30; I a This 'water'can be caught in a-suitable ree ceptacl'e or other convenient drain. After a sprinkler head has beentested, the operat w ing handle is turned in-the opposite direction so as to seat the valve headjon its seat 17 ,f

after which the ope'ratinglhandle is removed fromthe'valve casing and the operatoris then ready kler head. A

,In sprinklerlsystems allreadyinstalled, it

' "100. chasing entirely "new sprinkler heads con-f structed ina'ccordance with my invention may not be desirable, due to the cost of: pur-i Insuch'instances I can provide attachments or adaptors, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 to permit the headsz- .1 e

In Figure' l, I have showna branch sprinkler pipe 35 with an elbow 36 to which is generally T connected a sprinkler ,-head 37, which is, of conventional construction. In order to'permit 'the'use of my testingldevice, I employ the This attachment orjadaptorj38 consistsof a pipe fitting 39' having ajthreaded extension 1 4 O. at one end for threaded connection with The opposite end of thefitting the elbow 36.1."

is provided with an 7 internally T threaded socket llc for the threaded shank 42 ofgthe conventional ;sprinkler; head 37. Intermee .diatei the ends of the jfitting an internally r threaded bore -43, is provided for receiving the valvejcasing 15,

isame type illustratedinFigureL V V In Figure 5, I have shown a particular type of attachment oradaptor 45, foruse at the-endof-a sprinkler line 46. r This adaptor or attchment 47 mamas; opp sitef ends internally threaded. i o

46 and the valve casing 15," respectively. "The use of the conventional sprinkler attachmention adaptor 38,;

comprises a T shaped fitting" I to test-the next adjacent sprinr which is ofthe exact r receptionof thejsprinkler line valve casing 15 is of the exact same type shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The leg of the T fitting l7 is internally threaded for the reception of the threaded shank 48 of a conventional sprinkler head 49.

It is to be understood that while I have stated my improved device can be applied on each sprinkler head, in actual practice my device need only be placed at spaced points in the sprinkler system, such as at the ends of the line or feeders. Not only does my invention give knowledge that the sprinkler heads are opened, but that the pipes are likewise opened and filled with water. 'These devices are also useful in the winter season to determine whether or not pipes are frozen in a heated building where such conditions wouldnot normally arise, thereby insuring maximum amount of protection at all times. This device is applicable for testing both dry and wet fire sprinkling system, as is readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Due to theflexibility of the nipple 31, it is immaterial whether or not the valve casing 15 is exactly straight as the handle can be readily engaged with the stem of the valve, if the same should be on an incline.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptional, simple and novel means for testing the ani tomatic sprinkler heads of a fire-extinguishing system which can be readily incorporated with sprinkling systems.

Changes in parting from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a device for testing the sprinkler heads of fire-extinguishing systems, a valve for each sprinkler head embodying a casing having a depending vertical portion provided withan internal valve seat, a valve stem threaded into the vertical portion hav- 1 ing a longitudinal bore and a diametrically extending passageway communicating with the bore and the interior of the casing, a valve head on the inner end of the stem for engaging the valve seat, an operating member on the valve stem arranged exteriorly of the casing, and a removable hollow operating handle having a nipple for receiving the valve stem and a yoke for'engaging the operating member.

2. In a testing device, an automatic sprinkler head having an auxiliary valve casing provided with a liquid passage therethrough, a valve in said casing for controlling the flow of liquid through the passage including a valve head for closing the passage and a hollow stein extending beyond the casing, the stem having a port therein beyond the head for the flow of water into the stem a hollow operating handle for the stem, and a flared nipple on the upper end of the handle for receiving the exposed portion of the stem, said nipple being flexible whereby the handle can be angularly disposed rela tive to the stem.

3. In a testing device, an automatic sprinkler head having an auxiliary valve casing provided with a liquid passageway, a valve in said casing for controlling the flow of liquid through the passageway, including a valve head and a hollow stem extending beyondthe casing, said stem having a port therein beyond the head for the flow of water into the hollow stem a hollow operating handle for the stem, a flared nipple on the handle for receiving the exposed portion of the stem, said nipple being flexible whereby the handle can be angularly disposed relative to the stem, radially extending arms secured to the exposed portion of the stem, and a U- shaped yoke secured to the handle and straddling the nipple engaging said arms, when the nipple is in engagement with the stem.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

HERMAN F. GEWALT.

detail may be made without de- 

